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Clemens: 'I did not take steroids'

Clemens: 'I did not take steroids'

HOUSTON -- On Tuesday, Roger Clemens made his first public comments since the release of the Mitchell Report that detailed allegations of steroid use by 89 current and former Major Leaguers.

"I want to state clearly and without qualification: I did not take steroids, human growth hormone or any other banned substances at any time in my baseball career or, in fact, my entire life," Clemens said in a statement released by his agent, Randy Hendricks. "Those substances represent a dangerous and destructive shortcut that no athlete should ever take.

"I am disappointed that my 25 years in public life have apparently not earned me the benefit of the doubt, but I understand that Senator Mitchell's report has raised many serious questions. I plan to publicly answer all of those questions at the appropriate time in the appropriate way. I only ask that in the meantime people not rush to judgment."

Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young winner and veteran of 24 Major League seasons, was identified in the Mitchell Report by former Yankees trainer Brian McNamee, who for many years served as a personal trainer to Clemens and Andy Pettitte.

McNamee told Mitchell's investigative team that he injected Clemens with the steroid Winstrol through the end of the 1998 season and that Clemens' performance "showed remarkable improvement." During the 2000 season, Clemens reportedly went back to McNamee and said he was "ready to use steroids again."

During the latter part of the regular season in 2000, McNamee said he injected Clemens "in the buttocks four to six times with testosterone from a bottle labeled either Sustanon 250 or Deca-Durabolin that McNamee had obtained from [Kirk] Radomski."

Radomski is the former Mets clubhouse attendant who is also named in the report as a supplier to many players.

Through Houston-based attorney Rusty Hardin, Clemens denied all allegations the day the Mitchell Report was released. Tuesday's statement, however, was the first time Clemens had spoken directly about the accusations.

Alyson Footer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.